WCHS survives scare from Cumberland County

David Kinser goes up for a shot over a Cumberland County player, on Tuesday night.

The Warrior and Warriorette basketball squads traveled east, on Tuesday, for an encounter against former District 6-AAA opponents Cumberland County.

Both games went right down to the wire, with White County High School coming away with a sweep for the night.

The Warriorettes (18-1) trailed the Lady Jets (15-4) by three points midway through the fourth quarter. However, over the final four minutes of the game, both teams were tied four times, but a free throw by Mia Murray, with 22 seconds remaining, gave the Warriorettes the lead for good and helped WCHS pick up their first win against Cumberland County since Jan. 20, 2015.

The Warriors (15-4), who trailed by as many as 19 in the first half, came back to tie the game by the end of the third quarter and only held the lead for 35 seconds. However, those 35 seconds were the most important 35 seconds of the game because it was the final 35 seconds of the game. The Warriors got two free throws from Kade Clark to take the lead 59-58 and held off the Jets (5-11) for the 60-58 win.

Things got off to a good start for the Warriorettes in their game. Gracie Dodgen, who finished with 20 for the game, got back-to-back layups for the first points of the game. Alaina Stiles and Murray also got into the scoring column getting layups to give the Warriorettes the early 8-0 lead, with 6:21 remaining in the first quarter. However, from there, Cumberland County scored the next six points to cut the Warriorettes’ lead to 8-6. WCHS answered back, though, going on an 8-4 run to take a 16-10 lead. Cumberland County didn’t go away, as they scored seven consecutive points to take their first lead of the game at 17-16. The Warriorettes led 20-19 at the end of the first quarter, after layups from Murray and Julia Curtis.

In the second quarter, Cumberland County came out on a mission, scoring six of the first nine points to take a 25-23 lead, with 5:13 remaining. The Warriorettes didn’t go away, as they closed out the quarter on a 9-4 run and led 32-28 at the half.

In the third quarter, Murray opened up the quarter with a layup to push the Warriorettes’ lead to 34-28, but back-to-back baskets by Cumberland County cut the Warriorettes’ lead to two. After a free throw by Murray gave the Warriorettes a three-point lead, Cumberland County went on a 12-4 run to close out the third quarter and led the Warriorettes 44-39.

In the final quarter of play, the Warriorettes battled back. WCHS got four straight points from Dodgen and a free throw from Murray to tie the game at 44, with 6:20 remaining. Cumberland County answered back with three consecutive points to take a three-point lead. After both teams traded baskets to make the score 49-46, Dodgen knocked down a three, with 3:50 remaining to tie the game at 49-49. Murray followed that up with a pair of free throws, with 2:56 remaining, to give the Warriorettes their first lead since the beginning of the third quarter. Cumberland County answered with a layup to tie the game at 51, but a layup by Curtis and Dodgen gave the Warriorettes a four-point lead, with 1:16 remaining. However, Cumberland County would score the next four points to tie the game back up, with 33 seconds left on the clock. With 22 seconds remaining on the clock, Murray drove down the lane and was fouled by a Cumberland County player and went to the line to shoot two free throws. Murray would miss the first free throw, but hit the second to give the Warriorettes a 56-55 lead. Cumberland County had two more chances to take the lead, but the Warriorettes held on for the 56-55 win.

The Warriorettes finished the game shooting 36 percent from the field and held the Lady Jets to 27 percent. The Warriorettes were 16 of 40 from two and five of 18 from behind the arc. The Warriorettes also made nine of their 18 free throws.

The Warriorettes won the rebounding battle 40-39 but lost the turnover battle 22-11.

In the nightcap, the Warriors came storming back in the third and fourth quarters to pick up the win.

In the third quarter, with the Warriors trailing 36-22, Masyn Winningham and Grant Slatten got the Warriors going with back-to-back layups to cut Cumberland County’s lead to six. Cumberland County answered by scoring five of the next seven points to push their lead to 41-28, but the Warriors didn’t stop, as they outscored Cumberland County 17-4 over the final four minutes to tie the game at 45-45 at the end of the third quarter. Dyson Reece got the Warriors going with a three-point play. Then a pair of free throws by Slatten and a layup by Reece made it 41-35. Cumberland County knocked down a three to push their lead to nine, but the Warriors got two straight layups by Winningham and a layup by Reece to cut the lead to three. After a free throw by Cumberland County made it 45-41, Winningham and Austin Burchett closed out the quarter with layups to make it 45-45 heading into the final quarter of play.

In the fourth quarter, both teams would trade baskets to open the quarter. However, a 7-2 run by the Jets gave them the lead and looked to give them control of the game, as Cumberland County led the Warriors 56-51, with 3:44 remaining in the game. The Warriors, though, didn’t quit. Slatten got the Warriors going with four straight points to the Jets two to cut the lead to three. Then, with 39 seconds remaining in the game, Cumberland County missed the front end of a one-and-one, and the Warriors got the rebound, and Winningham was fouled on a layup attempt, with 35 seconds remaining in the game. Winningham would step to the line and knock down both free throws to cut Cumberland County’s lead to one at 58-57. During the second free throw attempt, a Cumberland County player was called for a foul, and Clark went to the line with 35 seconds remaining to try and give the Warriors their first lead of the game. Clark stepped to the line and knocked down both free throws to give the Warriors their first lead of the game. Cumberland County had a chance to take the lead, but their layup attempt came off the rim, and Reece grabbed the rebound and was fouled with eight seconds remaining. Reece stepped to the line and knocked down one of two free throws to give the Warriors a 60-58 lead. Cumberland County would heave up a half-court prayer at the buzzer, but it bounced off the rim to give the Warriors their 15th win of the season.

The Warriors finished the game shooting 40 percent from the field and didn’t make a single three-point shot attempt. The Warriors were 24-44 from two and 0 of 16 from three. The Warriors did make 14 of their 22 free throws compared to Cumberland County making one of four.

The Warriors and Warriorettes will now turn their attention to rival Cookeville. The Warriors and Warriorettes will travel to Cookeville on Friday night to take on the Cavs and Lady Cavs. The Warriorettes will get the night started at 6 p.m., with the Warriors to follow.

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